Schlage lock company sells safe smart security systems of great quality for a reasonable price. They are a great choice for the entry door of your real estate.
Alas, many users experience trouble when dealing with modern technology used in these devices. Many problems that might seem difficult, in fact, are dealt with by a troubling analysis that doesn’t need any specialized knowledge from you.
“Why is the lock blinking red?” is one of the most frequently asked questions about such a problem. There are many reasons why the device emits a red signal instead of a green light, though:
- Low battery.
- A wrong PIN.
- A programming error.
Why is the Schlage lock blinking red?
The blinking red light can look different depending on what was the cause of it.
Low batteries
With the batteries, there are two scenarios. The first one: your Schlage lock blinking red steadily. What does that mean? The battery is so low that the device system can’t work at all anymore.
Or a Schlage button can turn on and off a few times with a bright red signal and then become green, also emitting a specific sound. This means that batteries are not critically low, but low enough that you have to change them as soon as possible if you want your device to last longer.
Wrong User Code
If the red light is on the Schlage button, probably the keypad was given the wrong pin code. Try to enter it again, this time paying more attention.
When you have entered a newly added user code, made sure that it’s the right one, but still see the Schlage lock blinking red, it probably means you have the maximum available number of user codes in the system. Troubleshooting requires deleting one of them and adding a new one again.
Codes not matching
Sometimes the lock is blinking red when you try to delete existing user codes.
This happens when you enter the first pin on your lock keypad, but the second one doesn’t match it. Therefore you should try again, this time paying more attention to entering the matching numbers.
Programming error
A programming error of the lock also results in a blinking red on your Schlage button. One of the most common problems that make this appear is that the programming code is the same as the user code. Therefore the system doesn’t know which one you would like to use and “thinks” about user code first.
To fix this, remove one user code or change it so they are not the same as the programming pin anymore.
How to open the door if the battery is empty
It could happen that you’ve let the batteries go not just critically low, but fully empty, then it isn’t a great problem to open the lock, although you will have to use another way than you usually do to unlock the entrance.
There exist a Key Override lock feature that allows you to open the Schlage lock if the energy cells are at zero. Let’s go over how you use it:
- Insert your metallic key into the keyhole.
- Rotate the key 270 degrees to open the lock.
- Rotate the knob or a lever to open the door itself.
While the lock is unlocked, you can’t take the key away from the keyhole. It will stay inside the cylinder until the door is locked again.
Schlage lock light is green but won’t open anyway
Seldom the pin is entered, and the smart lock device shines with a green signal, yet the Schlage lock doesn’t open anyway. In such a case, you should turn to specific troubleshooting:
- Try to remember if the Schlage lock installation was performed correctly.
- If you have a keypad with a lever, try to open the door and rotate the lever down. The latch should retract, otherwise – call Schlage customer service for help.
- Try to enter a user code. If it doesn’t work, do a complete system reset.
- Change the programming code.
- Change the batteries to newer ones or recharge the old cells.
- Check if the Lock Override is “off”. This feature disables the keypad, therefore leaving only a physical key as a way to open the door.
Resetting a Schlage lock
Usually, performing a factory reset can solve most of the problems regarding not the mechanical parts, but the programmed system. How do you return the smart lock to factory settings?
- Take off the cover plate with the screwdriver.
- Remove the batteries.
- Press the Schlage button.
- Place back the batteries.
- Press and hold the Schlage button for 5 seconds.
- Your Schlage lock is now reset.
Newer Schlage lock models allow an easier way to perform a reset.
This can be done at the lock’s site: mynexia.com. Create a user profile there and you will be allowed to change the settings and reprogram the codes in a much simpler way. You can use the online portal to reset everything, change a programming code or add new user codes instead of using a manual way.
After the installation, you need a new user code and a programming code. All the codes will be reset, thus you have to think about at least one new user code instead of the old user codes.
Changing the batteries of Schlage locks
Doing this requires only your new batteries and a simple screwdriver. Most Schlage locks require a single 9-volt alkaline battery.
You need to do these steps to replace the battery:
- Remove both of the mounting screws on the inside of the lock.
- Take the cover off.
- Remove the old battery and place a new one.
- Tuck the wiring and put the cover back with the screws you’ve removed.
Red blinking should wear off after this. If you’ve swapped the batteries but the red light persists, follow the next paragraph.
The lock still blinks red even with the new batteries
Two reasons exist why this might be happening.
Incorrect installation
A common reason: batteries haven’t been placed in the right way.
If you use a single alkaline energy cell, pay attention to the wires. They should be hooked on the positive side.
If you’ve decided to use AA or AAA batteries, the positive side – the copper-colored one for Duracell batteries – faces away from the electricity spring and the negative one touches it.
Wrong battery type
Using incorrect batteries leads to the same problem as installing them the wrong way.
It’s best to use alkaline batteries. They need to not be able to be recharged. The brand is not of critical importance if the product is of enough quality, the type is, though. Satin nickel batteries, for example, might not be sufficient for a Schlage Smart Lock.
The smart lock unlocks by itself
Even if you’ve got a user code in the system already, rarely the door unlocks before you have entered the pin, just with a button press. Usually, this indicates that an installation was not done without errors. How to avoid this malfunction?
- The deadbolt should be placed at the door’s edge.
- The camera should be faced with a downside.
- The camera has a tiny triangle shape opposite the bar. It should match the same sign on the cover plate.
If one of these went wrong during the installations, you should disassemble the lock again. Try to fix the mistake.
When should you call Schlage customer service?
After everything has been done: you’ve got your energy cells recharged and in place, they are of the right type, you have gone over your installation, have done a factory reset, and checked your codes’ compatibility, but the Schlage keypad lock still gives you this blinking red signal, you should call customer services. The Schlage button should emit green light.
Schlage company provides full customer support for a lock. Sometimes a glitch arises that you just can’t solve by yourself, and therefore you should call a specialist. They help to both find and solve the problem so you can continue using your Schlage Smart Lock and provide you with a good user experience.
Schlage keypad lock warranty
Schlage lock company provides a lifetime warranty for all of their products. But there are a few things this warranty just doesn’t cover:
- Normal maintenance, and labor costs.
- Shipping expenses when returning the device.
- Damage caused by the customer or any third party.
- Any incidental or indirect damage.
- Patent infringement.
- Normal wear of the product.
Conclusion
This article provides all answers to the question of the reason for Schlage lock to start suddenly blinking with a red light.
This tells that you have to pay attention to your batteries, find an error in the database, try to give the user code again, return to original settings, reinstall the Schlage keypad lock or call the Schlage customer service in case of an unusual glitch arising.
Before you call a locksmith, always do troubleshooting first. Articles such as this give you all the knowledge necessary to do this yourself.